Pain Management Essay
Pain Management and Use of Alternative Therapies
Pain is defined as what the person suffering the pain describes it to be and it occurs when the individual says they are in pain (Lewis, Dirksen, & Heitkemper, 2010, pp. 128). Thus, pain is subjective and specific to the patient. It is complex and multidimensional, and untreated pain can cause emotional distress, physical and psychosocial dysfunction, diminished recovery from acute ailments and procedures, immunosuppression, and sleep disorders, Inadequate pain management occurs in all patient care settings and across all patient populations (Lewis, Dirksen, & Heitkemper, 2010, pp. 127-128).
Traditional Pain Management – Opioids
The most commonly prescribed medication to treat pain in the United States are opioid medications, and it …show more content…
Safety is of the greatest importance, and risks for injury and the possible side effects of a single treatment alone or in combination with other therapies must be weighed against the benefits. Next, nurses must evaluate the therapy’s desired effects and make the decision as to whether there is a strong possibility for the therapy to yield the desired outcomes and benefit the patient (Burkhardt & Deveneau, 2016, p. 415).
The home health nurse’s scope is comprised of a patient’s diet, nutrition and changes in lifestyle, but also must recognize that many alternative or complementary treatments are not based on mainstream medicine. Through further training, home health nurses can become proficient with alternative healing modalities such as acupuncture, oriental medicine and homeopathy. A nurse’s role is to facilitate open communication about the various treatment options, while at the same time honor the patient’s right to choose the path of care (Burkhardt & Deveneau, 2016, pp.
Pain is defined as what the person suffering the pain describes it to be and it occurs when the individual says they are in pain (Lewis, Dirksen, & Heitkemper, 2010, pp. 128). Thus, pain is subjective and specific to the patient. It is complex and multidimensional, and untreated pain can cause emotional distress, physical and psychosocial dysfunction, diminished recovery from acute ailments and procedures, immunosuppression, and sleep disorders, Inadequate pain management occurs in all patient care settings and across all patient populations (Lewis, Dirksen, & Heitkemper, 2010, pp. 127-128).
Traditional Pain Management – Opioids
The most commonly prescribed medication to treat pain in the United States are opioid medications, and it …show more content…
Safety is of the greatest importance, and risks for injury and the possible side effects of a single treatment alone or in combination with other therapies must be weighed against the benefits. Next, nurses must evaluate the therapy’s desired effects and make the decision as to whether there is a strong possibility for the therapy to yield the desired outcomes and benefit the patient (Burkhardt & Deveneau, 2016, p. 415).
The home health nurse’s scope is comprised of a patient’s diet, nutrition and changes in lifestyle, but also must recognize that many alternative or complementary treatments are not based on mainstream medicine. Through further training, home health nurses can become proficient with alternative healing modalities such as acupuncture, oriental medicine and homeopathy. A nurse’s role is to facilitate open communication about the various treatment options, while at the same time honor the patient’s right to choose the path of care (Burkhardt & Deveneau, 2016, pp.